ANC leads parties in by-elections ahead of local polls in October

Some political parties on Thursday morning were celebrating their electoral gains following Wednesday’s by-elections in seven provinces.

While the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) was expected later on Thursday to formally announce the results of the polls, the ANC was leading the pack and managed to retain all its wards and won two more.

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However, the DA did not perform well as it may have anticipated. The party lost a critical ward in Knysna in the Garden Route, but was able to retain control of ward 20 in Delft, Cape Town.

While the EFF did not win any wards, the party managed to make inroads in areas it did not have support before.

The by-elections took place in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape and Western Cape to replace councillors who had passed on or were dismissed by their political parties.

According to the latest stats provided by the IEC at 9am on Thursday, the leading parties nationally were the ANC (54.12%), DA (13.38%) and IFP (10.04%).

IEC voter statistics from Wednesday’s by-election held in seven provinces.

SABC News on Thursday reported that by-elections in the Buffalo City Metro were cancelled after the incumbent councillor, Ntombizodwa Gamnca, obtained a court interdict against her removal from office.

Eastern Cape local government MEC Xolile Nqatha reportedly fired Gamnca for contravening the councillors’ code of conduct after she was convicted of robbery and intimidation in court.

The fired councillor was handed a four-year suspended sentence and a R10,000 fine.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the 2021 local government elections would take place on 27 October.